The Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting Rural Development In Nigeria Complete Project Material (PDF/DOC)
Most agricultural innovations were not sustainably adopted due to incompatibility to social and cultural practices. Based on this proposition, this study was designed to analyze the effects of socio-cultural factors on agricultural training programs for farmers by the Benue State Agricultural and Rural Development Authorities (BNARDA) for farmers in Zone C. Seven communities were purposively selected due to their unique cultural practices and a total of 118 respondents were randomly selected for the study. Questionnaire was used as tool for data collection. Descriptive statistics and logit regression were used for data analysis. The results show that there were 22 % of respondents aged between 50-60 years, 72 % of them were married and about 60 % had at least secondary educational attainment. Annual income of respondents was between ₦80,000.00 – ₦100,000.00. About 72 % had farming experience of less than 10 years, and 31 % were cosmopolites. The result further shows that fear of ostracization was among the major reasons that inhibit training program participations. The results of logit analysis show that education (-3.3987), gender (2.268), rivers/streams (-.732) and leadership (2.150) were significantly affect training program. It was concluded that farmer who have strong cultural beliefs were responsible for non- participation in the training program. It was recommended that aggressive advocacy program be embarked by BNARDA before packaging a training program for the farmers.
Keywords: Socio-Cultural; Training Program; Farmer; Benua State
INTRODUCTION
Development according to the oxford advanced leaner dictionary is the action or process of developing or being developed. It is a new stage or event. It can also be a new product or invention. Development entails in moral, politics culture industrial development, economic and in technological aspect. It is when a nation is growing with the achievement of all these mentioned above that they will be regarded as a developed state or nation. No wonder Todaro (1985) defines development as “a multi-dimensional process involving the re-organization and re-orientation of entire economic and social system. This involve in addition to improvement of income and output, radical changes in institutional, social and administrative structures as well as in-popular attitudes, customs and benefits”. Rodney (1969) defines development as “a many-sided process which at the level of individual implies increased skill and capacity, greater freedom, creativity, self discipline, responsibility and material well being”. The word rural development on the other hand, according to Ahab (2005) “is the availability of infrastructure which improves the quality of life, like potable water, electricity, good road etc.
Ever since the existence of Nigeria as an independent state in 1960, Nigeria has been popularly noted for their lack of development despite the impact been laid down by our colonial masters before leaving the country, Nigeria is still battling to develop. It is a fact that most of the national target planning made in developing our country usually turn to no avail as a result of political instability and military dictatorship that faces Nigeria. Most of our states and local government areas lack the possible infrastructures that will move our localities forward. There is problem of infrastructures like good road, lack of quality education, electricity, potable water and lack of recreational parks in rural areas which made most of our young graduates who are educationally equipped to migrate from rural areas to urban areas in searching for their green pastures since agriculture is the only bases of occupation on the rural dwellers. It is those factors that affects rural areas in development that we will base our study on.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Owerri North is a local government area in Imo state, Nigeria. It has its head quarter at Uratta. It has an area of 198 squares in Kilometers and a population of 175,395. The postal code of the area is 460.
Owerri North is a semi- urban government area, it encircles Owerri municipal like a peninsular six major roads that lead out of the municipal, cut across Owerri north communities. In the north, Orlu road leads to Amakaohia and Akwakuma communities, in the west, MCC roads leads to Obibi Uratta and Ulakwo communities. In the east, Okigwe road leads to Orji community. In the south, Mbaise road leads to Egbu and Emekuku communities while Aba road lead to Naze, Agbala, Ulakwo communities.
Owerri north traces its origin during the military regime of Sani Abacha as the head of Nigeria state in 1996. The local government was created as a result of the request made by the Late Eze (Dr) Onu Egwunwoke for the creation of the Uratta local government area with the head quarter at Orie Uratta. However, since the creation of another local government in Emekuku/Emii and Alaenyi blocs did not come to actualize, they were forced into the proposed uratta local government, which culminated into changing the name to Owerri north local government to accommodate the new configuration.
The inclusion of Obube, Agbala, Ulakwo and Obibiezena bloc was later considered as they were not accepted by Ngor- Okpala local government area. There are nineteen (19) autonomous communities in Owerri north as thus:
-Agbala Autonomous Community.
-Akwakuma Autonomous Community.
-Amakohia Autonomous Community.
-Awaka Autonomous Community.
-Azaraubo Autonomous Community.
-Egbu Autonomous Community.
-Emekuku Autonomous Community.
-Emii Autonomous Community.
-Ezimba Autonomous Community.
– Ihiteoha Autonomous Community.
-Ijitta Ogada Autonomous Community.
-Mbaoma Autonomous Community.
– Naze Autonomous Community.
-Obube Autonomous Community.
-Obibiezena Autonomous Community.
-Orji Autonomous Community.
-Obibi Autonomous Community.
-Ulakwo Autonomous Community.
-Umuakaliku Autonomous Community.
Owerri North local government area is made up of four (4) blocs as Uratta, Emekuku/Emii, Alaenyi and Agbala-obibi/Ulakwo blocs.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This work intends to evaluate the problems in the socio-cultural factors affecting rural development in Nigeria. Therefore, the research shall be addressing the following problems.
– Non challant attitude towards the use of improved agricultural techniques hinders development in Owerri north local government area.
– Dependency has become a factor of the problems of Owerri north local government area.
– Land disputes contribute in low small measure to under development in Owerri north local government area.
-Insecurity and its attendant problems contribute to lack of development in Owerri north local government area.
– Incapable leadership in Nigeria contributes to lack of development in Owerri north local government area.
The above stated research problems puts Owerri north local government area far from development in Nigeria and so leads to research work.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this research work is to ascertain the socio-cultural factors affecting the rural development in Nigeria.
- To know the need for rural development
- To identify the problems militating against proper development of rural areas in Nigeria likewise in Owerri north local government area.
- To find out ways in which development will evenly reach every town or villages within the local government of Owerri north.
- To examine the communities reaction to development.
- To know the people’s felt need.
- To examine the strategies for rural development.
- To proffer some recommendation for the solution to the problems hindering development in Owerri north local government area.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
- Is Owerri North local government area underdeveloped?
- Does government interfer towards the development of the local government area?
- What are the feelings of the inhabitants of Owerri north towards the level of under-development?
- What are the sources of funds in Owerri north local government area?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The research work is very significant in several ways more especial at this present situation of administration in Nigeria government. The significant tends to fish out the problem facing development in rural area in Nigeria at large; it paves way to avoid mismanagement of many localities in Nigeria trends. This research work will contribute tremendously to the knowledge of the tance of community development. It will help to educate the masses on the need for community development. Moreover, these identified socio-cultural factors affecting development in Owerri north local government area will help to proffer solution on how to overcome such factors.
Finally, the study will equally educate the future leaders on the need to develop their area to meet up with the standard lives of their people.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study focused mainly on the socio-cultural factors affecting rural development in Nigeria with a reference to Owerri north local government area. Therefore books from federal polytechnic library, newspapers, journals, reports and internets will be our major source of reference to this research work.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This project work is been limited by time factor due to indefinite strike that befall all Nigeria polytechnics, it was not easy to carry a thorough research work as there is lot of assignment to do either at home or in a lecture hall/room.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Culture: this can be defined as the totality of people’s way of life. It entails the way or what people do as their custom to earn their living without depending on another as source of their living.
Rural: this can simply be seen as a place where social amenities or infrastructures that help to make people live better are scarce or not even available. It is a place where lives are of nature without the aids of artificial things. People living in rural areas usually have their earning through agriculture.
Development: This is a change that is mostly of positive in the people’s life. It is a change for growth in economy, infrastructure, educational, information, industries etc.
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